The electoral result did not solve the country’s problems. The lack of a strategic plan for energy management has landed us with an astronomical importation of high-cost fuels.
As far as I know Malta has or had fuel storage facilities and the idea of ‘bulk buying’ or ‘hedging’ in the purchase of oil products should not be considered as anathema. The cost of energy is just one reason why Malta is becoming less competitive in industry. The recent announcement of downsizing by ST Micro Electronics is a setback for Maltese industry and it is a sign of worry that job loss is taking place not just in the textile industry.
The attraction of foreign capital is not an easy task and it is easier to lose what you have than to attract new business. The real problem facing the country is the reluctance to effect changes where they really matter. Instead of wasting too much energy on gossiping and electioneering for the whole five years, we need a change in political mentality and attitude.
The MCESD forum has not produced the results expected from it. A new formula has to be found to serve the ideal of a frank dialogue among the social partners and positive suggestions how industry and the economy in general can forge a way forward. The early days of the new government have been very quiet; and the two instances of committing Malta to the PfP without any dialogue whatsoever, and JPO heading a parliamentary delegation, do not augur well for the future.

So far nothing has been announced about how the Prime Minister is going to reform MEPA. We only heard how a few days before the election, MEPA issued a record number of building permits, including those in ODZs. Will the Prime Minister order the withdrawal of dubious if not abusive building permits issued before the election? His credibility is at stake and if he fails to reform MEPA to the expected level, he will have a very difficult task in administering the country.
When I see certain ‘complexes’ and ‘building projects’, I start to wonder what MEPA was doing. The block of flats built in Birgu near Fort St Angelo is a glaring example of the obscenity of certain building permits. Certain developments in Ghadira show the incompetence of MEPA, and the sooner the present structure is dissolved, the better. For transparency’s sake, dubious permits issued before the election should be frozen until a new structure with new people is in place to scrutinize and re-evaluate such applications.
Environmental groups should unite in a common front and start mobilising public opinion in favour of a complete overhaul of MEPA and insist that the new members of the new structure should not be politically appointed. The public should be adequately represented and consultations on proposed developments should cease to be a public farce. Developments on virgin land should be rejected outright, and MEPA should take on as its ethos the publication of policies that discourage the adulteration of the countryside for commercial gain. It is already too late in the day to save the little greenery we have. At least, a last effort is needed to protect the few remnants of green patches. MEPA should encourage the bringing down of old houses with no architectural value to gain precious land.

I have heard a lot of people saying that the fact that Labour has lost the election after championing the idea of zero-tolerance for corruption means the Maltese people love corruption. I do not rule out the fact that in Malta there are some cliques that thrive on corruption. However, the majority of people dislike corruption and believe that they do not have a chance to compete in a corrupt environment because they are not corrupt and do not want to corrupt.
Another fact that is known to everyone is that corruption is alive and kicking. The Permanent Commission Against Corruption was a complete failure and is a corpse without any sign of revival. We need a new mechanism to be composed of members from the political parties and a majority representation from the general public. The new body should have executive powers to investigate all allegations of corruption. The Commission should not be chaired by retired judges but by practising magistrates or judges. Its workings should be as public as possible, especially after the deliberations. Negative international reports on corruption in Malta discourage investment because no serious entrepreneur would invest in a corrupt country.

Recently, on two separate occasions I parked near the Junior College and MCAST. I was dismayed by the fact that a good number of our youngsters have the smoking habit.
Studies have shown that smoking parents breed smoking offspring. It is high time that our youths are exposed to health campaigns in schools, colleges and why not, the University. Health education should be part and parcel of the education programme. If our students are expected to work on ‘practical’ projects why should we not introduce credits on health education? Health education is not just about preaching against smoking, drugs and alcohol abuse but also on healthy diets and the deterioration of health through the excessive eating of junk food. The few minutes I spent near the Junior College and MCAST made me aware how obese our youngsters are. It is the same feeling one gets watching other youngsters flocking out of factories and other workplaces.

During the electoral campaign, the incumbent party made it a point that it wanted to govern the country for another five years because these five years are crucial for Malta. Crucial for what? It is true that election time will be in 2013 if nothing out of the extraordinary happens. 2013 indicates that more than a decade would have been spent from the start of the 21st century. By that time Malta would have no excuses in moving forward if it continues to lag behind its European partners!